Damian "Junior Gong" Marley Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
Armed with an air horn, an Ini Kamoze sample, and a gritty tale of life in Jamaica, Damian Marley made a huge splash with his massive single "Welcome to Jamrock," a reggae-meets-hip-hop track that dominated urban radio and street-level mixtapes during the summer of 2005. Dancehall kings Elephant Man and Beenie Man had made some worthy crossover progress in 2004, but Damian's hit was the biggest Jamaican splash on mainstream American radio since the days of Shabba Ranks, maybe the days of father Bob himself. Delivering on the promise of the single, Welcome to Jamrock the album is the full-length revolution that's filled with purposeful material, guest appearance from reality television star Bobby Brown included. There's more than enough slick studio trickery to alienate earthy roots fans and this is reggae in one of its loosest definitions, but anyone who's kept his eye on Damian and his brother Stephen -- who is all over the album as a producer, songwriter, and singer -- can tell you this is where the talented, genre-blending duo was headed. Reggae with guest rappers can end up sounding horribly contrived, but the sonic stew the brothers create allows for rap, samples, and all things synthetic and acoustic, along with everything else you'd expect on a Massive Attack album if the dour bunch were fueled by Red Stripe and ghetto Kingston spirit. The slinky "Beautiful" with Brown is the only time the polish threatens to take over, but its new jack-meets-smooth jazz sweetness sounds legit coming from the R&B-loving Damian. "Move!," which borrows a bit of Dad's "Exodus," is a less hooky but no less urgent successor to "Jamrock," as are the trip-hopping "For the Babies" and the opening "Confrontation," which features dialogue from revolutionary heroes Marcus Garvey and Bunny Wailer. Less earth-shaking but just as rich are the swashbuckling "The Master Has Come Back" -- a more spiritual "Return of the Mack" -- and "All Night," a playful number that is very fun, very Fatboy Slim. "We're Gonna Make It" proves Damian can still kick it in a full band and roots style while the heavy reverb with lively jestering on the closing "Khaki Suit" gives the album its most dancehall moment, bringing things comfortably home after 13 tracks of uninhibited exploration. Besides the fantastic single, this album has "legs," with a bulging lyric sheet filled with vivid and crafty lines that offer plenty to focus on once all the sonic brilliance has sunk in. A career-defining moment that lives up to a huge hit, Welcome to Jamrock is a tremendous achievement. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
In Kingston, Jamaica, the neighborhood of Halfway Tree is seen as a meeting place, a junction between the rich and poor parts of town. Damian Marley, the youngest son of reggae icon Bob Marley, wants his music to do the same thing, to be a bridge between the rich and the poor, the new and the old. For the most part, he succeeds as his North American debut offers enough social consciousness to keep his father's fans happy while still dabbling in newer forms of dancehall and hip-hop. North Americans may be familiar with Marley's work from his cameo appearance on Eve's album Scorpion. On Halfway Tree, Eve returns the favor as she appears on "Where Is the Love?," one of the funkiest tracks on the album. Another highlight is "Stand a Chance," which features some funky harmonica as well as the rhymes of Treach of Naughty By Nature as well as the sweet vocals of dancehall legend Yami Bolo. Tracks like "More Justice" and "Give Dem Some Way" feature the kind of social commentary you'd expect from a member of the Marley clan. The family influence is also felt throughout the album -- his brother Stephen Marley, produced much of the album and they even sample their father's classic "Could You Be Loved" on their track "And Be Loved." But Marley also strays away slightly from family tradition, dealing with love and sex in a raw, direct way on tracks like "Mi Blenda" and "Cool and Dandy." For the most part, Marley does an excellent balancing act. He handles his legacy and his future flawlessly and what's more surprising is that he makes it look easy. ~ Jon Azpiri, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
The youngest son of Bob Marley attempts to find his own voice on cuts like "Searching (So Much Bubble)," "10,000 Chariots," and "Me Name Jr. Gong." ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide
